There are many known devices which can be used to hold hair in place, extend hair, enclose hair, etc. These items are typically used to divide hair into sections during chemical treatments and the creation of hair extensions. While such devices are useful for their intended purposes, no device or method currently exists to adequately color, straighten, add slight volume to, decorate, and grow the natural hair without the use of heat or chemicals. Thus, there remains a need for a hair treatment device which can adequately perform these functions. It is these and other problems in the prior art that the present invention addresses.
In many instances in the modern hair dressing parlors, and similar operations or establishments, permanent hair treatment devices for imparting hair texture use tubes in the treatment method. Such treatment methods typically employ electric heaters together with tubes of various types for steaming hair. These tubes are generally used for waving or curling hair and are very clumsy, time consuming to use, and are otherwise inconvenient. As a further drawback, a secondary device is usually needed to keep the hair tube in place. As another step in the process the hair needs to be treated with a liquid or cream chemical hair treatment substance in order to retain the formation imparted. Heat is also often applied to the hair while it is within the tubes. When coloring hair is part of the process a chemical dyeing agent is supplied into the tube and is applied inside the tube to the hair. Such applications may lead to extreme hair damage.
Additionally, people have long sought to adorn their natural hair by placing removable articles and materials in the hair. Such removable articles and materials may include beads of woods and natural metals, feathers, ribbon, leather, and other devices, to name but a few. One of the technical problems which must be solved in providing such adornments lies in the mounting of the esthetic member to the hair. Preferably, the mounting element should engage the hair in a secure and durable manner, be of slight weight to avoid hair harm and breakage, yet be readily installable and readily removed. Ideally, such installations and/or removals should be effected without use of a visible structure for engaging the hair so as not to interfere with the esthetic effect there being imparted.
Permanently straightening growing human hair typically requires the use of straightening chemicals. It is difficult during this hair treatment process to examine the hair for the purposes of determining when the chemical process has been carried out to the desired extent. If unduly prolonged, the process will cause injury to the hair and scalp.
Electronic pressing devices or heated metal combs are then typically applied to the hair in conjunction with oils causing the hair to be straightened. The resultant straightening remains over a period of time notwithstanding that the hair is moistened or even cleansed, all of which may severely damage the hair, have injurious effects, and causes hair breakage. To avoid such damage a process is needed which alleviates the need for a secondary holding device, heat, and chemical hair treatment substances.
In order for most highly textured natural hair to grow and retain length, it must not be subjected to heavy manipulation because it is extremely prone to breakage. Further, because the hair is textured, it has an elasticity that often prevents the true length of the hair from showing, referred to by those of skill in the art, as “shrinkage”. The inventor's research has revealed that there is a large market of people with highly textured hair that would like a natural hair care option to straighten, color, and add slight volume to their hair, an option which could alleviate damage and allow their hair to show length, grow, and be healthy with minimal manipulation.
In many instances in modern hair dressing parlors, and similar operations or establishments, there are very few safe options to enhance the appearance of length and to avoid heavy manipulation of the natural textured hair. One option is to braid the natural hair so that the weight of the hair itself pulls the coils down and shows a more accurate reading of the length of the hair. This option requires the hair to be re-braided constantly after a few months of time or less, in order to keep a neat appearance in the hairstyle and thus may cause pain to the sensitive scalp due to constant hair jerking and be quite costly and disadvantage those without adequate funds. A second option is manipulating the natural hair into a locked hairstyle, like dreadlocks. Many people who have decided to style their natural hair in dreadlocks are left unsatisfied due to the permanence and other drawbacks of this styling option.
Having in mind these difficulties, presented herein is an exceptionally novel hair tube for the purpose of overcoming the drawbacks of the above-described conventional art which fills a void not currently being met in the marketplace. In contrast to known methods and devices, application of the novel hair tube allows natural hair to look neat and fresh as it grows out and highly textured natural hair retains length due to very low manipulation. The combination of more length and volume is possible as compared to previous methods. The new methods and devices described herein allow easy day to day hair management, can be used in conjunction with a healthy hair product system, promote and retain growth, provide flexible hair styling options, allow for fun experimenting with different hair colors without damage, and are appropriate for ages 3 and up.